Triumph dashboards - who supplies these days?

[Colin Lindsay]

Years ago the club used to advertise dashboards but no longer - who supplies these days?

I'm almost 100% sure I'm asking so I can see how much I'll save when I manage to find a S/H Herald 13/60 one and renovate it myself, but it would be interesting to know how much a new standard version, not fancy veneer or finish, costs these days.

 

[Josef]

https://handmadebyheary.wordpress.com/

Colin Heary’s dashboards certainly look very good. He lists on eBay fairly often too so you might be able to find an estimate cost there. 
 

I got very good results relaquering a s/h 13/60 dash myself having found one with intact veneer. 

[Josef]

Oops, I see he doesn’t list Herald ones as standard products. 

[Colin Lindsay]

5 minutes ago, Josef said:

https://handmadebyheary.wordpress.com/

Colin Heary’s dashboards certainly look very good. He lists on eBay fairly often too so you might be able to find an estimate cost there. 
 

I got very good results relaquering a s/h 13/60 dash myself having found one with intact veneer. 

Thanks Josef; I see he has a Vitesse version, but no prices. The problem is that any I've seen recently are astronomical in price, and they're all seemingly ex-RollsRoyce standards and values, so unless there's someone still making a good basic dashboard I'm swinging more towards either refurbishing one myself if I can locate a good solid base for repair or else finding a good S/H version which will fit straightaway. 

[Peter Truman]

Most of our club guys have re-veneered their dash’s inevitable here with the sun cracking the lacquer/resin.

It has resulted in some very exotic timber veneers and great mirror finish’s around the dash centreline better than even RR. Mind you there’ve taken their time.

The best dash I’ve had of all my Triumphs and Jags was a 66 Herald 1200 Conv I purchased in 67 it was a dark oak type finish an exact mirror finish around the centre, none of my subsequent Triumphs have been anywhere near as good.

My Sprint has been re-lacquered it’s OK but I’ve had to trim/sand back around the cubby door to get it to fit without sticking similarly the RH gauge panel so as it’s easy to remove as the PO had used many coats of marine lacquer.

[Paul H]

1 hour ago, Colin Lindsay said:

Thanks Josef; I see he has a Vitesse version, but no prices. The problem is that any I've seen recently are astronomical in price, and they're all seemingly ex-RollsRoyce standards and values, so unless there's someone still making a good basic dashboard I'm swinging more towards either refurbishing one myself if I can locate a good solid base for repair or else finding a good S/H version which will fit straightaway. 

From memory ( not to be relied on ) the Vitesse dashboard was about £230 plus pp

Paul 

[Pdv]

Hi Colin, 

I have revineered two dashboards now will post a picture tomorrow so you can see what can be accomplished,

The original veneer was American straight grained walnut.

I will post more details when I find the relevant info.

Steve 

[Patrick Taylor]

Black walnut is a good alternative; I used one with a PVA glue backing, so it could be ironed on which avoided the need for a veneering press. 

[Josef]

3 hours ago, Paul H said:

From memory ( not to be relied on ) the Vitesse dashboard was about £230 plus pp

Paul 

Just spotted Quiller list new Herald dashboards for £230. Though I’m never quite sure how current their website is…

[Pdv]

Hi Colin,

Here are some photographs that you may find useful if you decide to reveneer a dashboard.

Steve

 

[Colin Lindsay]

That is almost exactly the finish I'm after. Not too shiny, nice medium colour and a solid look. Do you have a good source for veneer?

[rulloyd]

Classical dash are excellent and the suppliers to most of the usual suspects.  Much cheaper direct. 👍

[Pdv]

Hi Colin.

The photgraph of the lacquer I used has the invoice from the suppliers of both the veneer and the lacquer.

Steve

 

[Colin Lindsay]

58 minutes ago, Pdv said:

Hi Colin.

The photgraph of the lacquer I used has the invoice from the suppliers of both the veneer and the lacquer.

Steve

 

Spotted! Many thanks, that's a great help.

[Pdv]

Just thought I should have given credit to the instructions in the third  photograph. This came with a purchase of veneer and lacquer from Chapman and Cliff.

Not sure if they still supply materials now, a search on their Web site did not give any ordering details.

Steve

[Patrick Taylor]

I'm not sure why the instructions suggest applying the PVA glue and then leaving it to go tacky. Unless it is a paper-backed veneer -which will tolerate moisture rather better- applying PVA (which is water-based adhesive) to a veneer will cause the wood fibres to expand on the glued side, while those on the other side remain dry; the wood will curl up and be pretty difficult to get onto the dash flat. I would always advise working quickly when veneering, precisely to avoid this. If it is paper-backed, then there's no reason why this method wouldn't work.

If you are after the same depth of finish as the original (which was, or pretended to be, French Polished) then Rustin's 'Plasticote' is the stuff to go for. Mind you, it takes time (as in days and days and days) to apply each coat, let it cure, flat it back and then go again; but the results speak for themselves.

[Colin Lindsay]

I've never tried it before but am interested; I've got two long pieces of wood that mahogany dashboards were delivered in to use as presses with g-clamps, and have no problem leaving it for days for the Plasticote / varnish, one coat plus curing / flatting at a time. I'd still prefer to find a spare dash for practice so will advertise for one. Plenty of 1200 versions but no 13/60. 

[Josef]

I read, but never tried as I found a dash with good veneer, that making a sandwich of wood - polystyrene - dash + veneer - polystyrene - wood and clamping all that was a good way to get even pressure over the whole thing.

[Pdv]

Hi All,

If you do not know anything about Chapman and Cliff they are ex Rolls Royce apprentices and produce high quality work.

That leaflet must be at least 15 years old but that is the method I  have used twice now.

I think there is specific veneer glue available now but stayed with what I knew.

Tips, use plenty of clamps, I used 8, I used a quality wood (PVA) glue on the latest and diluted it slightly, the edges and holes can dry so pay more attention to that, the pressure will force very small amounts of glue through the veneer but rather is dealt with when sanding.

The lacquer was brushed on at first but it drys quickly leading to uneven lacquer on the tricky parts, so then flatted and then lots of coat with a spray gun flatting in between then a final rub down with fine steel wool and a polish.

 

When I  bought the  veneer first time it was enough to do one dashboard, from the Wood Veneer Hub you can choose the amount, I chose the smalest piece and it was enough to do two dashboards and more, so choose your own length and you can do lots of practice.

American Straight Grained Walnut was the original used by Triumph according to Chapman and Cliff but if you wanted the dashboard to look as if it had aged then there was an alternative and as it was years ago, sorry don't remember but I am sure that a search will find it, 

The Wood Veneer Hub were very helpful and may be able to help, I was also told that they supply Rolls Royce with veneer so they have good quality stock, alas no am not on commission. 

Hope this is of use.

Steve

[Josef]

8 minutes ago, Pdv said:

Hi All,

If you do not know anything about Chapman and Cliff they are ex Rolls Royce apprentices and produce high quality work.

That leaflet must be at least 15 years old but that is the method I  have used twice now.

I think there is specific veneer glue available now but stayed with what I knew.

Tips, use plenty of clamps, I used 8, I used a quality wood (PVA) glue on the latest and diluted it slightly, the edges and holes can dry so pay more attention to that, the pressure will force very small amounts of glue through the veneer but rather is dealt with when sanding.

The lacquer was brushed on at first but it drys quickly leading to uneven lacquer on the tricky parts, so then flatted and then lots of coat with a spray gun flatting in between then a final rub down with fine steel wool and a polish.

 

When I  bought the  veneer first time it was enough to do one dashboard, from the Wood Veneer Hub you can choose the amount, I chose the smalest piece and it was enough to do two dashboards and more, so choose your own length and you can do lots of practice.

American Straight Grained Walnut was the original used by Triumph according to Chapman and Cliff but if you wanted the dashboard to look as if it had aged then there was an alternative and as it was years ago, sorry don't remember but I am sure that a search will find it, 

The Wood Veneer Hub were very helpful and may be able to help, I was also told that they supply Rolls Royce with veneer so they have good quality stock, alas no am not on commission. 

Hope this is of use.

Steve

Interesting to hear that Steve. I’d read before that Triumph used American walnut but never felt the colour or grain looked quite right for walnut, and have never seen an original source (period documentation or similar). Of course years of sunlight and old lacquers could be misleading me, but even my re lacquered dash looks very different to the American walnut veneer I used for the radio box front. The inside of the glovebox door however looks very much like walnut. I did swap a couple of e-mails with Colin Heary a few years back, he identified the dash veneer as teak, so a conflicting opinion via another woodwork professional surprised me. I’m only interested in what the ‘right’ answer is for curiosity reasons though!

Sorry the photos are a bit naff, the car is still mostly under dust sheeting cause of the metalwork I’m doing on the rear.

[DVD3500]

I have been trying for over a year to get an estimate from HearY for a dashboard... I wanted fewer holes as I was going to put some switches in other places and I never got a response back...

[cliff.b]

I have just bought a spare dashboard cheaply and going to attempt to veneer it.

I was going to use PVA but have found a "hot melt adhesive film" which is supposed to let you apply the veneer using an iron.

I will report back on the effectiveness, or otherwise, of this 

[Pdv]

Hi Cliff,

Be interesting to see how you  get on.

Hope it goes well as it will save a lot of work when using PVA glue and will be of use to others who want to replace veneer.

Steve

 

 

 

[Chris A]

13 minutes ago, Pdv said:

will be of use to others who want to replace veneer.

Steve

Definitely!

[cliff.b]

Veneer & adhesive film arrived today so decided to test it on some spare plywood.

The adhesive is on one side of a release paper. Placed adhesive side down on the plywood, use a warm iron over the paper a few times, allow to cool and remove paper. A thin film of adhesive is left on the plywood.